Council takes up LAPD disclosure policy

City Councilman Jack Weiss says he doesn't think this proposed policy would do anything to actually identify dirty cops. He has some concerns about this element of the consent decree and expects to hear a lot of debate about the issue at the City Council meeting Tuesday.

Last month the Police Commission approved a plan that will require about 600 gang and narcotics officers, who handle cash and drugs, to disclose their financial information to the LAPD. The policy is designed to deter an officer from engaging in any elicit conduct.

The commission says the new rule meets the requirements of the 2001 consent decree, which stems from the Rampart scandal.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents 9,000 officers, is now suing the city. The union is arguing that these officers have a Constitutional right to privacy.

Many of the 600 gang and narcotics officers say they're prepared to ask for reassignment or even retirement, but they say they have nothing to find. Some of the officers are worried that their personal information could be leaked.

The president of the police union says the policy's intrusive and believes it won't root out corruption. He says an officer wouldn't put stolen drug money into a checking account.

The union is also running radio ads in hopes of rallying opposition to the policy.

If the City Council does vote to overturn the Police Commission's ruling, it's unclear what sort of impact it would have if any because the matter would go back to the Police commission, where it started in the first place.